WEST COVINA – Police arrested two Rialto men following a Christmas day car crash in which an elderly West Covina woman died. Police suspect the men were involved in a street race at the time.

Celia La Torre, 90, died at the scene of Tuesday’s 9 p.m. crash at Lark Ellen and Merced avenues, according to West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez.

Vincent Lopez, 30, of Rialto was arrested on suspicion of murder and drunken driving, while Victor Hugo Sanchez, 34, of Rialto was arrested on suspicion of murder, the corporal said.

A Mitsubishi Eclipse and a Ford Escort were southbound on Lark Ellen Avenue from Cameron Avenue when the Mitsubishi broadsided a Dodge Caravan being driven east on Merced Avenue by La Torre’s 72-year-old son, West Covina police Lt. Jerry Pearman said.

“Based on witness statements, we suspect that they did run a red light,” Pearman said.

It appeared the speeding cars ran a red light when the Eclipse slammed into the minivan, Pearman added.

La Torre, who used a wheelchair and had just been released from a West Covina hospital where she was undergoing treatment, was thrown from the minivan and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Her son was taken to a hospital in stable condition, Pearman said.

The driver of the Mitsubishi – later identified as Vincent Lopez – suffered a broken leg and was arrested at the scene, while his passenger fled the car on foot and was detained and questioned by police nearby, Pearman said.

The Ford Escort believed to have been racing the Mitsubishi fled the scene, Cpl. Lopez said, however follow-up investigation led detectives to arrest the alleged driver, Sanchez, early Wednesday in Pomona, police said.

Both men were booked on suspicion of murder, while suspect Lopez was also booked on suspicion of drunken driving, officials said.

The Ford was believed to have had passengers inside when the crash occurred, and police continued seeking them for questioning Wednesday.

The occupants of both the Mitsubishi and Ford were believed to have just left a bar in the 200 block of South Glendora Avenue prior to the crash, officials said.

Any witnesses, or anyone with information, is asked to contact West Covina police at 626-939-8500.

According to police and Los Angeles County booking records, Victor Lopez and Sanchez were being held in lieu of $1 million bail each pending their scheduled arraignments Friday in West Covina Superior Court.

Brian Day has covered crime and breaking news for the Southern California News Group since 2007. He’s a graduate of California State University, Fullerton and Cerritos College in Norwalk. He loves dogs and has a pet German shepherd, which in turn, has a pet cat. Brian is a local news junkie, a licensed drone pilot and a part-time science geek with an unfortunate predilection for puns.

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